A U.S. Supreme Court ruling has struck down a federal law that prohibited sports betting outside of Nevada. The court ruled 6-3 that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act violated the anti-commandeering doctrine. The anti-commandeering doctrine bars the federal government from imposing certain duties upon states.

New Jersey challenged a 2016 ruling by the 3rd U.S. Court of Appeals, that found New Jersey violated the PASPA, by arguing that it unconstitutionally infringed on states’ rights.

In his opinion, Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote, “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects no to do so, each state is free to act on its own.”

In a statement, the Nevada Gaming Control Board expressed support of the decision.

“The Nevada Gaming Control Board is the gold standard for legal, regulated sports betting. For decades, Nevada has been the only jurisdiction to offer a full range of sports betting options to the public. Nevada has proven that our model is not only successful, but stands the test of time. The Nevada Gaming Control Board supports today’s Supreme Court decision striking down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act. In the coming months as individuals states decide whether or not to authorize legalized sports betting and embark on establishing their own regulatory frameworks, the Nevada Gaming Control Board looks forward to acting as a resource and sharing our model with other jurisdictions.”

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